BRIDGETON, Mo. – Neighbors are worried about a danger over Interstate 70 in Bridgeton. They said drivers and walkers are at risk at the Fee Fee overpass. They called 5 On Your Side, after seeing our story on another open hole at the Big Bend Bridge over I-270.
Taking this bridge over I-70 on Fee Fee road makes Glenna Evans, a Bridgeton resident, emotional.
“It makes me want to cry," she said, "it makes me very upset.”
Why?
There is a gaping hole between the end of the overpass on the south side of the bridge where pedestrians and bicyclists can fall.
“I have grandchildren and they're old enough to ride bikes and we were to let them ride their bike over here and maybe a car would be in their way and they will tear off and go down,” she said.
MoDOT is responsible for this bridge and the one we reported on Monday at Big Bend over I-270.
Evans and her husband saw similarities between the bridges, and after seeing our broadcast about the gaping holes on Big Bend Bridge.
“It's not just happening down south off I-270, it's happening right here in my neighborhood,” Evans said.
Even worse, Bridgeton put new guard rails leading up to the same area of the bridge but left another gaping space for cars. Bridgeton's mayor said they could not extend the rails further because it is not permitted on MoDOT property.
Glenna's husband Jim says he is just as concerned
“They left a gap between the guard rails and the bridge and there's no fencing or anything,” he said.
On the north side of the bridge, fencing and guardrails extend fully up to the bridge, but not on the south side.
“Do we have to wait until a tragedy happens before we fix the problem why can't we be proactive instead of reactive?” Glenna Evans asked.
5 On Your Side asked MoDOT why it would not put barriers across the space. Spokeswoman Betherny Williams said this is the way it has been and she did not believe barriers were needed, but said no research to determine need had been done.
MoDOT promised to repair the gaps on Big Bend Bridge by Wednesday. Williams said she was not aware of the promise made yesterday, but would look into it.
